[Brad’s Gramma]

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- One firefighter was killed and two were critically injured while battling a blaze that has charred more than 230,000 acres in San Diego County, authorities said.

It was the first firefighter death in the outbreak of fires that have ravaged Southern California this week. Eighteen people have now died in the fires, many of them trying to escape the flames.

The firefighter died while battling the Cedar Fire in San Diego County - the largest and deadliest blaze in California. It has burned nearly 1,100 homes.

Department of Forestry spokeswoman Cathy Fritz said she had no additional details on the firefighter's death.

Matt Mathes, regional spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service, said the firefighters were injured in Julian, a historic mining town known for its apple crop. He said the two injured firefighters suffered critical injuries.

Hundreds of firefighters have converged on the mountain retreat of Julian in the past 24 hours to make a stand against the Cedar Fire. Firefighters in Julian were told that their injured colleagues were flown out of the area by helicopter.

[lainie]

I made myself go sit down for awhile earlier. Gotta do that every so often.

[GOPrincess]

AQMD on TV saying that these current ashy air conditions will last anywhere from 7 to 90 days after the fires go out, and that there are definitely dangerous carcinogens in the air; they recommend children should continue to play indoors and even indoor activity should be minimal unless you have an air conditioner that recirculates the air.